Ticonderoga in Essex County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Lord & Burnham Estate Greenhouse
Landscape architect Marian Coffin designed a new plan for the King’s Garden in the early 1920s. The plan specified thousands of colorful annuals set amongst perennials. Ms. Coffin’s plans calls for more plants than could possibly be raised in this greenhouse. So the greenhouse was probably in place before Sarah Pell commissioned the garden design.
The choice of a Lord & Burnham greenhouse came easily. The company had built greenhouses since 1856, building a reputation for “glass houses” on dozens of Hudson River Valley estates. In 1876, a contract to build the San Francisco Conservatory, modeled after the famous “Palm Dome” at Kew Gardens in London, gave the firm international visibility and led to noteworthy commissions including the New York Crystal Palace (1899-1902), now the New York Botanical Gardens and, ultimately, the US Botanical Garden (1933) in Washington DC. By the time Sarah Pell made her selection, Lord and Burnham advertised that their modest “estate” greenhouses could be shipped in pieces (including nails and putty!) for easy assembly.
By the end of the 20th century, The Pavilion’s greenhouse glass and framework needed repair. David La Duke, a former Lord & Burnham employee, removed the 100-year-old cypress elements to his workshop for repair and repainting, sand-blasted the cast-iron frame and replaced all the glass. Fort Ticonderoga masons repaired the brickwork and cold frames. The restored greenhouse reopened in June 2005.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings.
Location. 43° 50.531′ N, 73° 23.105′ W. Marker is in Ticonderoga, New York, in Essex County. Marker is at the King's Garden on the grounds of Fort Ticonderoga. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Ticonderoga NY 12883, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Breaking Ground (within shouting distance of this marker); Garrison Garden (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Breaking Ground (within shouting distance of this marker); Historic English Gate (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); A Layered Legacy (about 300 feet away); a different marker also named A Layered Legacy (about 400 feet away); French Bake Ovens, 1757 (about 600 feet away); a different marker also named French Bake Ovens, 1757 (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ticonderoga.
More about this marker. A photograph of the interior of the greenhouse appears at the upper right of the marker. It has a caption of “Greenhouses work by letting in sunlight, so siting is crucial to their success. The structure sits on an east-west axis to maximize sun exposure. The glass in the eaves lets in more light and allows snow to slip off easily. Cold frames are located on the south side to capture the first warmth of the spring sun.
An aerial photograph of the greenhouse and garden at the lower left of the marker includes the caption “The greenhouse served The Pavilion household as well as the formal garden. For decades, staff gardeners started vegetables and flowers for the extensive kitchen and cutting gardens now planted as demonstration gardens.
A Lord & Burnham Co. advertisement at the bottom right has a caption of “At the turn of the 20th century, fresh salads emerged as an emblem of upperclass dining and a symbol of a feminine touch at table. Lord & Burnham used the fashionable salad to appeal to readers of Country Life in America in 1914. A decade later, an advertisement on Architecture magazine incorporated an attached gardener’s house with a single boiler to heat both structures. Lord & Burnham’s furnace business proved so successful that the company eventually sold the greenhouse business to concentrate on heating systems.”
Credits. This page was last revised on November 14, 2018. It was originally submitted on November 14, 2018, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 350 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 14, 2018, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.